The Heretic's Tragedy Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: A B CDCEFBGBDB A H BIBIJKJKLMHK A BNBNLCLC O C K HPHPKQKQ O Q K BJBJBBBBK K BRBBSKS O K BTBTUHUH O H K VWVWOXYX O X O OBOBOZOZ O Z O VKVKOA2OA2 B A2 O B OBB2OWOO HOXKO OV

IA
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PREADMONISHETH THE ABBOT DEODAETB
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The Lord we look to once for allC
Is the Lord we should look at all at onceD
He knows not to vary saith Saint PaulC
Nor the shadow of turning for the nonceE
See him no other than as he isF
Give both the infinitudes their dueB
Infinite mercy but I wisG
As infinite a justice tooB
Organ plagal cadenceD
As infinite a justice tooB
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IIA
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ONE SINGETHH
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John Master of the Temple of GodB
Falling to sin the Unknown SinI
What he bought of Emperor AldabrodB
He sold it to Sultan SaladinI
Till caught by Pope Clement a buzzing thereJ
Hornet prince of the mad wasps' hiveK
And clipt of his wings in Paris squareJ
They bring him now to be burned aliveK
And wanteth there grace of lute orL
clavicithern ye shall say to confirmM
him who singethH
We bring John now to be burned aliveK
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IIIA
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In the midst is a goodly gallows builtB
'Twixt fork and fork a stake is stuckN
But first they set divers tumbrils a tiltB
Make a trench all round with the city muckN
Inside they pile log upon log good storeL
Faggots no few blocks great and smallC
Reach a man's mid thigh no less no moreL
For they mean he should roast in the sight of allC
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CHORUSO
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We mean he should roast in the sight of allC
-
-
IVK
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Good sappy bavins that kindle forthwithH
Billets that blaze substantial and slowP
Pine stump split deftly dry as pithH
Larch heart that chars to a chalk white glowP
Then up they hoist me John in a chafeK
Sling him fast like a hog to scorchQ
Spit in his face then leap back safeK
Sing Laudes'' and bid clap to the torchQ
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CHORUSO
-
Laus Deo who bids clap to the torchQ
-
-
VK
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John of the Temple whose fame so braggedB
Is burning alive in Paris squareJ
How can he curse if his mouth is gaggedB
Or wriggle his neck with a collar thereJ
Or heave his chest which a band goes roundB
Or threat with his fist since his arms are splicedB
Or kick with his feet now his legs are boundB
Thinks John I will call upon Jesus ChristB
Here one crosseth himselfK
-
-
VIK
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Jesus Christ John had bought and soldB
Jesus Christ John had eaten and drunkR
To him the Flesh meant silver and goldB
Salv reverentiB
Now it was Saviour bountiful lambS
I have roasted thee Turks though men roast meK
See thy servant the plight wherein I amS
Art thou a saviour Save thou me ''-
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CHORUSO
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'Tis John the mocker cries Save thou me ''-
-
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VIIK
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Who maketh God's menace an idle wordB
Saith it no more means what it proclaimsT
Than a damsel's threat to her wanton birdB
For she too prattles of ugly namesT
Saith he knoweth but one thing what he knowsU
That God is good and the rest is breathH
Why else is the same styled Sharon's roseU
Once a rose ever a rose he saithH
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CHORUSO
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O John shall yet find a rose he saithH
-
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VIIIK
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Alack there be roses and roses JohnV
Some honied of taste like your leman's tongueW
Some bitter for why roast gaily onV
Their tree struck root in devil's dungW
When Paul once reasoned of righteousnessO
And of temperance and of judgment to comeX
Good Felix trembled he could no lessY
John snickering crook'd his wicked thumbX
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CHORUSO
-
What cometh to John of the wicked thumbX
-
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IXO
-
Ha ha John plucketh now at his roseO
To rid himself of a sorrow at heartB
Lo petal on petal fierce rays uncloseO
Anther on anther sharp spikes outstartB
And with blood for dew the bosom boilsO
And a gust of sulphur is all its smellZ
And lo he is horribly in the toilsO
Of a coal black giant flower of hellZ
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CHORUSO
-
What maketh heaven That maketh hellZ
-
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XO
-
So as John called now through the fire amainV
On the Name he had cursed with all his lifeK
To the Person he bought and sold againV
For the Face with his daily buffets rifeK
Feature by feature It took its placeO
And his voice like a mad dog's choking barkA2
At the steady whole of the Judge's faceO
Died Forth John's soul flared into the darkA2
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SUBJOINETH THE ABBOT DEODAETB
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God help all poor souls lost in the darkA2
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FagotsO
-
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A MIDDLE AGE INTERLUDEB
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ROSA MUNDI SEU FULCITE ME FLORIBUSO
A CONCEIT OF MASTER GYSBRECHTB
CANON REGULAR OF SAID JODOCUS BY THE BARB2
YPRES CITY CANTUQUE VirgiliusO
AND HATH OFTEN BEEN SUNGW
AT HOCK TIDE AND FESTIVALES GAVISUSO
ERAM JessidesO
-
It would seem to be a glimpse from theH
burning of Jacques du Bourg Mulay at ParisO
A D as distorted by the refraction fromX
Flemish brain to brain during the course ofK
a couple of centuriesO
-
Molay was Grand Master of the TemplarsO
when that order was suppressed inV

Robert Browning



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